Multiple Teams·
Apr 3
Boys Soccer Takes Two on the Road in Brooklyn

Both the Flatbush Boys JV and Varsity Soccer teams put up double digit totals in sweeping a doubleheader from crosstown rival YDE Monday night (4/3) on the road in Brooklyn, NY.

The JV’s opened the night’s games and it was a little bit of a back and forth all night, but Flatbush carried the play behind the stellar offensive performance of Freshman Josh Wicentowsky. He followed up a 6-goal performance in the team’s previous contest with 7 goals against the Thunder. The Falcons benefitted greatly from his accuracy in front of the goal to give them just enough of a cushion to win the night. But Wicentowsky could not do it alone, and to provide balance Flatbush received a hat trick (3 goals) from Michael Soussan as well as single goals from Jack Shalom and Albert Hamui to outdistance the host squad for a 12-9 victory.

The Varsity teams took the court next, and YDE quickly took the upper hand as the Thunder jumped out to the early 4-2 advantage, primarily the result of some lackluster play from the Falcons in the opening half of the game. With Flatbush facing that same two goal deficit at the half, the coaches let the Varsity Falcons know in no uncertain terms that what they put forth effort-wise in the first half was not remotely the kind of soccer they have been playing in training sessions and clearly was well below what they were capable of. the players resolved to effect positive change, with the goal not only swinging the score in their favor, but to end the game early via the mercy rule.

In securing their ambitious goal, the Falcons turned on the offense, winning the 3rd Quarter 3-0 en route to a 5-4 advantage heading into the final quarter of play. The Falcons took the momentum built up in the 3rd Quarter and turned it into an offensive explosion highlighted by a stunning lob from Junior Ohad Reichman that he chipped past the Thunder keeper from three yards out to give Flatbush a 9-4 lead. Senior Marvin Azrak played inspiring soccer, refusing to leave the court even after sustaining two severely scuffed knees along with a nasty injury to his right hip. Conversely, the comeback was not only about the offense. In securing the mercy rule win, the defense had to do its part, and Yossi Ojalvo anchored that part of the game, leading a defense that did not yield a score the entire second half of play as he managed to place his body in the path of everything that came near him. It was a total team effort in the second half that secured the big win, showing the boys are capable of such high level play as they ended the game early with the 11-4 final score.

Going forward, it will be that kind of effort, sustained over the course of the full 60 minutes of play, that will ultimately determine how far this team will go this Spring.

NEST NOTES: The JV win puts the Falcons record at 2-3 with three games remaining on the season, and a lot of work to do to qualify for the playoffs. The JV next play on Thursday, 4/6, at Frisch in the final Flatbush athletic contest before the Pesach break. Game time is set for 7:00 pm.

The Varsity received a 5-goal performance from Ohad Reichman in the 11-4 win. Sam Laniado added a hat trick of his own in ringing up three goals against the Thunder. Marvin Azrak, Yaron Sternberg and Ronnie Menashe each added one goal apiece.

The come-from-behind win lifts the Varsity’s record to 4-1, with three games left to play. They have a quick turn-around as they are back in action on Wednesday night, 4/5, when they host the Ezra Eagles at the Falcons Nest. Game time is 7:00 pm.